NK media highlight April summit agreement ahead of Moon's visit
North Korea's state media emphasized peace and prosperity between the two Koreas Monday, calling for efforts to build on the achievements they have made since the historic summit meeting in April.
"The north and the south should actively open the new history of peace, prosperity and reunification by gathering power and wisdom and cherishing the achievements made on the way toward implementing the Panmunjom Declaration," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, said one day before South Korean President Moon Jae-in embarks on a three-day visit to Pyongyang for his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
"Talks and cooperative projects have been under way on various fronts as part of efforts to carrying out the Panmunjom Declaration and in the process, pleasure for all the people have increased as they have been conductive to reconciliation, unity and peace and prosperity," it added.
The leaders held their summit talks in April and May, both at the truce village of Panmunjom.
At the April summit Moon and Kim agreed to work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, halt hostile acts against each other and foster cross-border cooperation on diverse fronts.
The two Koreas have since discussed cooperation in connecting railways and roads across their border and work together in forestry and other areas. They also held military talks and reunions of family separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.
On Friday, they opened their first joint liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong for round-the-clock and face-to-face communications.
The newspaper praised all those developments as great achievements and progress that will open the door for a "bright path" toward reunification of the two Koreas.
The North's firm stance is to keep inter-Korean relations from going off this new track of peace, reconciliation and cooperation, it said.
The newspaper did not directly mention this week's summit but experts said that its emphasis on progress in cross-border relations, peace and reconciliation appears to signal what its direction would be for its South Korea policy going forward. (Yonhap)